Making the Big Leagues: Factors Contributing to Publication in Elite Economics Journals‪.‬

Introduction Publication in the best journals of one's discipline, is for many academic researchers, the "stuff that dreams are made of," the equivalent of making the big leagues in sports or performing at Carnegie Hall in the arts. While many scholars aspire to publish in the best journals, however, only some realize the aspiration. Other scholars examining equally important issues may never publish in the top 10 journals, begging the question: What determines where one publishes? Clearly, the ability to conduct and communicate the results of quality research is required. What is less clear is the role of other characteristics of the researcher or the researcher's institution that affect publication in these elite journals. Identifying these other characteristics and exploring their influence on publication in the top journals is the purpose of this study.